Treating hydrocarbons



y 7 w. s. HADAWAY, JR

TREATING HYDROCARBONS Filed Sept. l5, 1923 H? N N Patented May 10, 1927.

UNITED STATES WILLIAM s. i'rAnAWAY,

PATENT OFFICE.

J B., OF NEW ROCHELLE, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR T0 THE TEXAS COMPANY, 0F NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF TEXAS.

TREATING HYDROCARBONS.

Application filed September 15, 1923. Serial No. 662,820.

This invention'relates to the conversion of higher boiling hydrocarbons into lower boiling hydrocarbons, suchas gasoline and other similar products. l

The invention is particularly adapted for a method of treating hydrocarbon oils in which the oil is passed through a coil or equivalent heating means and the heated oil then discharged into'an enlarged chamber and has special reference to a system in which the bulk of the heat required -is supplied to the oil before it reaches t-he enlarged chamber.

It is desirable to im art to the oil the bulk of the heat require l in the preliminary heating stage and to employ comparatively little or no external .heating in the enlarged chamber where cracking takes place, since the application of heat to the metallic walls of a chamber where decomposition occurs tends to the formation of carbon deposits on the walls of the vessel. In this type of operation, therefore, the heat required is maintained largely by the stream of heated oil which is discharged thereinto and in order to maintain the contents ot' the cracking chamber at the desired temperature, it is desirable to thoroughly diffuse thc stream of heated oil within the mass of oil in the vessel. '.Ihe present invention Aseeks to accomplish this result by bringing the heated oil into intimate contact with as many por-l tions ofthe bod)T of oil in the cracking chamber as is possible and in the least time.

ln accordance with the invention, therefore, the oil after having been preliminarily heated tothe desired temperature is discharged into the cracking chamber at a multiplicity ot points and so dispersed therein that the heated oilristhoroughly commingled and diffused with the mass of oil in the chamber, thus operating to maintain the required tcmperature throughout the contents of the chamber. In order to assist in the ditfusion of the oil charged with the ymass ot oil in the cracking vessel agitating means is employed and in a preferred embodiment of 'the invention, the `preheated oil isdischarged into the mass of yoilvin the cracking vessel through movable spraying means which operate to carry on agitation of the contents and,y discharge streams or sprays of oil into theV mass in the vessel.

l air condensers or For the purpose of describing the invention in detail reference is had to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic elevation partially in section of an apparatus constructed in accordance with the invention and constituting an embodiment thereof;

Figure 2 is an enlarged section taken on the line 2-2` of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a section in detail showing the bearing mechanism for a rotatable distributing pi-peemployed in the apparatus illustrated.

Referring now to the drawings it will be seen that the apparatus thus illustrated embodies a heating coil.10 and a cracking still or converter 11. The coil 10 is positioned in a furnace 12, for example, an oil or gas fired furnace, adapted to lheat the oil passing through the coil to the temperature desired. The outlet 13 of the coil communicates with the cracking vessel 11 which is preferably provided with insulation 14 but may, if desired, be positioned in a furnace or chamber by which it may be subjected to comparatively moderate heating. -Thus, for example, the cracking chamber may be arranged to be heated by means of Waste gases from the furnace 12. The oil to be treated is drawn by a pump .15 from a suitable source of supply and charged through the pipe 16 to theheating coil 10. If desired, the oil may, before being introduced to the coil 10, be passed through such exchangers, economizers, preheaters, and the like, as may be desired, the use of which structures is Well known in the art and need not be described in detail herein.

If distillation be carried on during the cracking operation, the vapors may be re-` moved by means of a vapor line 17 which may." lead' to preliminary fractionating or condensing means 18, such as bubble towers, products of yheavier boiling point than that desired may .be condensed. These heavier products may be passed into a line 19 and by meansio a pump 20 or other suitable means returned to the pipe 16 and thus discondensing coil 22. The outlet of the' condenser leads to a receiving drum 23 vwherein the like, by which the ing vessel may be equipped with a pipe 24- for removing residue.`

In the apparatus thus illustrated, a single converter 11 is shown. It is to be understood, however, that a lurality of converters may be employed, if' esired, and in fact it is generally preferable4 touse ytwo or more converters.l The apparatus shownis adapted for carrying on the conversion process witlr simultaneous distillation. 1t desired, however, the cracking may be carried on in a closed type of converter without distillation, the synthetic crude oil being drawn olf for subsequent distillationy of the light products formed. y l I A Ahollow shaft 25 is rotatably mounted within the still -or converter 11 and is adapted to communicate with the ypipe 13 which leads from the heating coil 10. As clearly shown in Figure 3, the pipe 13 extends to an opening in the bottom of the still and is welded or otherwise secured to the wall of the still. An annular member 2G is secured to the bottom of the still immediately above the pipe 13 and is provided with a central opening which registers with the pipe 13. The member 2G is preferably equipped with a ground seat for a ring or earing 27 and the lower-end of the rotating pipe 25 is swaged and formed with a ground surface adapted to co-act with a ground surface in the ring 27 so as to form a ball seat for the pi e 25. The several members of the joint are eld in position by means ot a retaining member 28V which is adapted to engage with the flared end of which may be secured in any suitable ymanner as b being bolted to the bottom of the still. Witlii the ball seat construction it is possible to permit a free rotation of the pipe 25 and at the same time reduce to a miniinuiuleakage in the movable connection between the stationary charging line-1.3 and the rotating distributing pipe 25. It is apparent', however, that various arrangements may be provided for establishing communication between the stationary pipe and the movable one and it is of course unnecessary to provide a connection which absolutely precludes 4leakage within the still.

The pige 25 may be eqpipped with one or more gui e bearings, suc for example, as a bearing indicated at 29, and may be rotated in an kconvenient manner. Thus the pipe 25 ma e connected to a shaft 30, as by means of lind flanges 31, which shaft extends out'- side of the still through a stutling box 32 and is driven by a shaft 33 to which it is suitably geared. It desired, the rotatable pipe' 25 may be turbine operated, as for instance by means of fluid pressure generated in the process.

The pipe 25 has a pluralit oflaterally extending branch lines 34 adilpted to disthe pipe 25 and charge the' heated' oil at a plurality of points within the still. In the apparatus illustrated the outer ends of the pipes 34 are connected to discharge pipes or nozzles 35. The distributing pipes or nozzles 35 are preferably rotatably mounted on swivel members 36 adapted to be actuated by the fluid passing through the pipes 34.

In practicuig the invention with the apparatus illustrated the oil to be treated is brought to the desired temperature in the coil 10, is then passed through the pipel 13 into the rotatable p ipe 25 and is discharged through the several branch lines 3l and spray lines 35 in minutely divided form into the'mass of oilin the still. The 'heated oil from the coil is thus brought into intimate Contact with substantially all portions of the mass of oil under conversion with the result that there is ready transfer of heat into -the bodyof' oil in the still. At the same time the movement ot' the several pipes and connections, which constitute the means for spraying the oil into the still, serves to assist in keeping the contents in a state of agitation, which facilitates the heat diffusion and maintenance of the required temperature and also ser-ves to keep the carbon formed in a state ot suspension in the oil so that it may readily be drawn oil' with the liquid when so desired.

It is apparent that many modifications of the invention may be made, for example, instead of providing the movable spraying pipes 35, the shaft 25 may be equipped with a plurality of paddles or pro ellers which serve to agitate the contents o the still and the oil discharged in sprays or streams at various points throughout the length of the shaft 25. If desired, the oil ma be spra Yed through orifices formed in tlie prope ler blades or at points adjacent thereto. The blades o1' propellers may be arranged to impart' heat to the oil.

In operating the process, the apparatus is preferably maintained under pressure or at least the coil 10 and cracking chamber 1,1 are `maintained under superatmospheric pressure. r'In case rotatable spraying mechanism operated by the fluid pressure of the oil discharged into the still, be employed, itis desirable to have the still at a ressure somewhat below that of the coil 10 1n order to insure the movement of the rotatable members.

Itv is preferableto so heat the oil as it passes through the coil 10 that as it is discharged into the pipe 13, it is at a somewhat higher ,temperature than that desired to be maintained in the cracking vessel 11. By carrying a temperature in the coil outlet of say, 25, 500- or 100 F. higher than that desired in the cracking vessel 11. therequired temperature therein may be readily maintained. For example, the outlet of the coil 10 may be held at say 80()o to 850- F. to maintain a temperature of say 750O t-o 775C inthe cracking still. The temperature differential between the coilfand converter will vary considerably with the different factors of operation, such for example, as the sizeof the apparatus used, whether the converter be insulated .or be subjected to moderate heating, and other variable elements. y

It may be noted that by carefully regulating the passage ofthe oil through the coil 10 and the application of heat thereto the oil may be rbrought to a high cracking temperature in the coil outlet but discharged yinto the converter 11 before any material decomposition has taken place, and a temperature thus maintained in the converter which. while more or less below that of the coil outlet, is nevertheless adequate `for a rapid rate of decomposition. In this way the application of the heat to the metallic walls of the `vessel in which the cracking Obviously, Various" modifications ofthe invention may be effected without depart-- mg yfrom the spiritl and scope of the invention'. The true sco )e of the invention is defined in the appen ed claim.

.` Vhat I claim is: v

Apparatus for cracking hydrocarbon oils, comprising a cracking vessel, a hollow shaft mounted therein and in communication with a source of oill supply for said vessel and rotatable spraying means adapted to receive fluid from said shaft and to be actuated by said fluid. v

In witness whereof I have hereunto` set my hand this 12th day of September. 1923.l

WILLIAM S. HADAVAY, J a. 

